


A Rope of Three Strands

by Kiiratam



Series: BeeDSM [4]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bondage, Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 11:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20865794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiiratam/pseuds/Kiiratam
Summary: Blake is doing some instructional reading for the future.Takes place during Volume 5, between Chapters 10 and 13. (My BMBLB fic index)





	A Rope of Three Strands

Blake kept her hands on the book, tried to keep her breathing slow and even. She had to keep _both_ hands on the book, even if she really didn't want to. For one, it wasn't her book, and she didn't want to drop it over the side. Her father didn't even know she'd borrowed it. She hoped. And tried not to think too much about why her father had a book entitled _Shibari - The Erotic Art of Bondage_.

  
For another, she was out on the main deck of the ship, leaning over the rail. Blake was afforded _some_ privacy by the rest of the militia, but the ship was packed. She'd had her own room for a few days, and then Ilia had gotten into a fight with her room mates, and the best solution was to just let Ilia share Blake's quarters. Ilia was there now, which was why Blake was reading on the main deck. She liked Ilia, and they'd shared a room before. Back in the White Fang. Both of the White Fangs. When Blake had wanted to get out of her parent's tent, and Ilia had needed a tentmate her own age. And after her parents had left. Before Blake had moved in with Adam.

  
She sighed. Ilia brought up complicated thoughts. Blake had trouble focusing around her, especially after Ilia had said she loved Blake. And Blake loved Ilia... but as a girl she'd grown up with, fought side-by-side with. A sister, not a lover. Ilia thought differently. And, Blake thought, they _had_ kissed. A few times. Blake had said something about wanting to practice, so her first kiss with Adam was special, and Ilia had offered to help. And Blake hadn't thought anything about it. Girls in her books kissed each other for practice all the time. It was just something best friends did.

  
And then Adam hadn't wanted her reading 'that kind of trash.' He'd insisted she read 'useful' books, if she read at all. Guides on small unit tactics, captured SDC documents, wilderness survival handbooks... She'd even listened to him. For a year or two. Her first act of rebellion wasn't, really. She'd stolen an instructional manual on sex, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Trying to figure out why she wasn't enjoying herself. And she hadn't hidden it well enough, and...

  
_Breathe in, hold it, breathe out._

  
Blake looked out to sea. This was what Ilia did to her.

  
_No, it wasn't her. This was what **Adam** did to me. Ilia just... didn't save me from it. It's not her fault, she's not much older than me. And I never asked for her help. I never told her what was happening. ...But she had to know some of it._

  
Turning the page, Blake tried to focus back on her book. She turned the page.

>   
'The Shrimp Tie is a potentially dangerous technique. So much so, that it was originally a torture technique. Practitioners should only use the Shrimp Tie on experienced participants, with special care to their discomfort. Communication, as always, is key. Begin with a box tie, or-'

  
"Hey Blake, what're you reading?" Sun sauntered into her little bubble of privacy.

  
She snapped the book shut, grateful that her father had put a brown paper binding on it. "Nothing! Just studying!" Yeah, _that_ wasn't suspicious.

  
Sun leaned on the railing, not looking at her. "Yeah, we've got all those tests coming up. So what subject? Tea ceremony? Militia Management? Politics?"

  
Blake relaxed a bit, tucking the book into her coat. She loved how big those pockets were. "I miss tests." He turned to her. She laughed at the expression on his face, and tried to explain. "I miss the biggest worry in my life being tests."

  
"Oh. That's not the same thing at all, Blake. And even when we were at Beacon, you were always doing other stuff. White Fang stuff, and Torchwick stuff."

  
"Not _all_ the time." There had been whole weeks where current White Fang and criminal activities hadn't even crossed her mind.

  
"Yeah, I guess not. But still, tests?" He grinned. "Why not miss food fights, or motorcycle rides, or dances?"

  
Blake bit her lip, looking out at the waves. Because missing those hurt too much.

  
Sun's eyes darted up to her top ears, noticing how they'd drooped. "Oh. Right. Uh, so! Your mom sent me to ask if you wanted to come have tea. Just the Belladonnas. And me. And Ilia, if you want to invite her, because I'm going to let _you_ handle that."

  
"What, are you afraid of her?"

  
He laughed. "Yes! I am!" He pulled his jacket open with his tail, showing off the electrical scar on his shoulder. "Remember this? She's on our side now, but she likes you. She just tolerates me."

  
Blake nodded, conceding the point.

  
"She's like..." Sun spread his hands, trying to find the words. "...a meaner, scarier Weiss!"

  
Blake blinked at him. "Weiss. Of all the people we know, you pick _Weiss_?"

  
"I mean, they've both got ponytails. And swords. And are mean. And scary."

  
"I don't know which one of them would be _more_ insulted by the comparison." Blake shook her head, looked into Sun's eyes. "Just promise me you'll never compare them to their face."

  
He grinned. "I like to _live_, thanks. I'm not a total idiot. Also, after tea, your dad wanted to go over all the unloading plans with the militia captains."

  
It was still a few days before they made port, but going over the plan - again - couldn't hurt. If they all knew the plan well, and what they were trying to accomplish with it, it would be a lot easier to improvise when something inevitably went wrong. Practice made perfect, and all that.

  
For a moment, Blake felt the urge to practice what she'd read. She had plenty of ribbon for Gambol Shroud, and she could probably talk Sun and Ilia into it. And that way, she would be less likely to make mistakes when she tied up Y-

  
No. Bad idea. Very bad idea. Hadn't 'practicing' kissing with Ilia taught her anything? ...Apart from the practical. It wouldn't be fair to Sun or Ilia, when she knew both of them had feelings for her. And she wasn't interested in pursuing either of them. Better to wait. Read more. Worry about practical applications after the White Fang attack on Haven.

  
Sun said, "Yeah, I know. But I don't think you're going to be able to get out of it." He brightened. "But afterwards, we can spar. Give the militia a show." He elbowed her gently. "What do you say, clone battle in the sky? Work up an appetite for dinner?"

  
"Sure." She reached out and mussed his hair. "Let's go get Ilia."

  
"Maybe she'll actually _talk_ this time, instead of just glaring at me."

  
Blake tried not to sigh. "Sun, she's been coming to tea a lot longer than you have. You're the intruder, to her."

  
"See, if you'd told me that earlier, that might have helped. So what should I do? Just sit and drink my tea in silence?"

  
"That... might actually help. Remember when we first met?"

  
"Oh yeah, two days of silence and weird looks. And a lot of tea. And then you _finally_ started talking."

  
"Ilia's like me, but less talkative."

  
"See, look at that! When you actually _tell_ me things, I can learn what I'm doing wrong."

  
"Sun..." _I'm trying. What's the line this book keeps repeating? 'Communication is key'?_ "You sound like my mother."

  
"Your mom is amazing. I want to be like her when I grow up."

  
Blake just ignored that comment, for her own sake, and started for her quarters. "Let's go get Ilia. It's almost tea time."


End file.
